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A really bad flare up - help!

Posted , 4 users are following.

annegold
annegold

2.5 years ago I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis stage 3 in my knees. Since then I have had a few flare up - stiffness, swollen knees and manageable pain. 2 weeks after kneeling on a floor whilst cleaning my right knee felt odd within 10 minutes of standing. It felt twisted. Gradually my knees worsened- swelling, stiffness, pain, tingling, buckling and unable to bear weight one knee especially. Am awaiting an X-ray. Do you think the osteoarthritis has progressed? Are my knees more damaged? Will losing weight help? I am 50, 5ft 3 and 190lbs. Advice appreciated 😐. Thanks!!

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga annegold

    Posted

    I remember when I was first diagnosed with OA my doctor said that normally the first suggestion he made was to tell a patient to lose some weight, but in my case i was already a bit thin.  So it is something to consider if it reduces stress on your legs especially the knees.  One thing I've learned is that a lot of our food cravings occur because we are actually feeding our gut microbes.  So if you change those you may also find it easier to stay on a low carb diet, for example.  It will take some willpower if you like sweet things, for example, but if you can swear off the sweets or the bread or whatever your particular craving is for a month or so, and fill up instead with a lot of leafy greens and high protein foods, although not red meat, you may one day wake up as I did and find yourself craving leafy greens, not dessert, or fries!

    • annegold
      annegold Anhaga

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice Anhaga. I do struggle with sweets, chocolate and cake. A few months ago I greatly reduced wheat in my diet and I feel this helps with the flare ups. Upon reflection I think my weight is a contributing factor because I have had flare ups after- a Zumba class, water aerobics, walking up hill in sand and kneeling down to clean a floor. The link is the pressure on my knees during these activities is far too much.

      What do you think?

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga annegold

      Posted

      I don't really know but it sounds logical, doesn't it.  Maybe an excuse to not do some of the less fun of those activities?  😉

      I was just reading that warmth can really help knee pain.  So keep warm, and maybe try massaging the knee itself.  I find my fingers get really stiff sometimes and a good massage of each of the joints seems to get the synovial fluid moving and relieve the pain.  I don't have knee problems myself but I imagine this technique would help any arthritic joint.  I found this on the arthritis dot org site: Exercise. A variety of exercises, such as strength training, aerobics, range of motion and tai chi, can help with both pain and physical function in knee OA. Strengthening can also help with hip OA pain. Water-based exercises may improve function in both knee and hip joints, but offer only minor benefits for pain.

      Weight loss. A 2007 review found reductions in pain and disability in previously overweight patients with knee OA who lost a moderate amount of weight. The recommendation is to aim for a weight loss of 5% within a 20-week period for the treatment to be effective. The benefits of weight loss on hip OA have yet to be proven.

    • erela
      erela Anhaga

      Posted

      Dear Anhaga,

      you give great advise!  Thank you!!

      Erela

  • erela
    erela annegold

    Posted

    Dear Anne,

    The doctor tells me that too much weight does make the pain of knees, hips, and feet much worse when something is going on......  I have friends that have gone from being thick and sexy like us....lol..... to slender women and half say they feel better and half say it made no change.  You will have to wait for the X-rays to know if your damage has progressed since the last films..... can you get to a warm indoor pool or a hot tub??..... do any and all exercising , walking and relaxing in the water..... This will give you and hour or two of relief........

    also.... Pennsaid drops  ( rx from Ortho.) applied externally to the knees helps.... I use the drops on mine 2 times a day.....

    Please keep all of us updated on your  situation........ I am sending prayers and gentle hugs your way.....

    Erela

    • annegold
      annegold erela

      Posted

      Awwww thank you so much erela. Thick and sexy is great. However I need to work on being less thick 😊. After 2 weeks it feels as if this flare up is easing - thank goodness. Am having to take tablets everyday though.

      Am almost positive the flare up was triggered after I knelt down to clean a floor. I was on my knees for approx 5mins. Last year I had flare- ups after a Zumba class and aqua aerobics; my knees can't cope with that kind of stress.

      Best wishes to you

      annegold

    • erela
      erela annegold

      Posted

      well I have one thing to say..... Zumba and land exercises are very very hard on the knees...... please stay in the pool.... do the Zumba in the pool.... do you swim..... get some fins....start with the light weight ones..... and....

      STAY off the floor and your knees....... do you have friends and family???  ask for help...... I could never get up if I got on my knees....... I have become best friends with my swifter mop and Shark Steam mop.... the steam mop is awesome..... stay off those knees!!!! soak in a nice hot bath with a glass of wine...... put epsom salts, cumin, garlic and lavender in the water..... or you can get lavender epsom salts at CVS...... take care of those knees.... and take care of you!   I use Pennsaid drops on my knees..... they actually help.... takes a week or two to build up in the system.....it is not an opiod......

      Erela

    • annegold
      annegold erela

      Posted

      Great advice erela. Definitely staying off my knees 😉

  • erela
    erela annegold

    Posted

    I shall add you to my prayers Anne ........ take care of those knees and yourself!
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